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| Handkerchiefs soaking in the bathtub |
My favourite ones are cotton lawn, followed closely by multi-washed linen ones. The more you wash a handkerchief the softer it becomes. However, if you wash it too much it gets too flimsy, develops holes, and will have to be discarded.
If you use cloth handkerchiefs when you have a cold your nose will be less raw.
Cloth handkerchiefs can double as bandages, napkins, towels, and all-purpose cloths, like cleaning the face of your tiny child "spit on this", and polishing your shoes. Personally I would not polish my shoes with the same handkerchief that I use to clean a child's face with - and I wouldn't use a white, perfectly laundered, Irish linen handkerchief to do either. Because good handkerchiefs can be hard to find.
I own about 200 handkerchiefs. Partly because I am an evil hoarder. Partly because I like to wash them separately from the other laundry, and it takes a lot of handkerchiefs to fill a washing machine.
The main purpose of this post if to provide proof to an unbelieving public that I really do own 200 handkerchiefs. The bathtub above and below holds 175.
I almost run out recently when I had a very nasty cold.
I feel I should hit Ebay and buy a few more.
Just in case.
You never know.
I mean, one wouldn't want to use toilet paper or anything ...
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| They soak in salt water for a few hours, then get run through the washing machine. |
Ironing them all is a bit of a drag. I can do 13 in 15 minutes. Last weekend I ironed 175 handkerchiefs. And then I had to fold them all. It took a long time.
But afterwards, when I stood in front of my massive stash of freshly laundered handkerchiefs, full of pride and admiration, it was all worth it.
Maybe next time I write about my linen bed sheets ...
